Tag Archives: Rubin’s Trail Labs

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #039

Rubin’s Palace Science Facility – Active Research Quarters:

Thick walls of stone, compressed steel, and electromagnetic shielding held 8-7’s quarters but one would not notice from the inside.  The multiple room apartment was well furnished with white fluffy couches, thick wooden tables, holographic projection entertainment, and other amenities one would only find in the best apartments.  Plush carpets were accented with marble areas and trim while carved ivory shelves and counters shined in in the kitchen.  

The lavish decor remained unused as 8-7 lay face up on the stone floor.  There, she set into power save mode to think about what had happened on that busy and informative day.  It took only a few moments for her to realize what she had to do.  Only the proper methods were questioned at this point.

Though the mechanical lady had only been awake for half a day,  she had a fairly good grip on her current situation.  The researcher’s reactions and the scientist’s questions spoke volumes.  She took in all that happened around her to know how best to act and what she could and could not say.  In the end, she was certain that she gained more information than she gave.

Hours after waking, she had met their lead scientist, Doctor Yu, and had an interview.  The doctor seemed nice enough and even excited to meet 8-7.  However, every now and then, 8-7 noted slight twitches in Doctor Yu’s face.  Many of the questions were about random parts of mechanical life.  Only a few of the questions were serious and accusing.  It was clear that the Doctor did not want to ask these questions.  Perhaps they needed to be asked.  One such question stood out.

Why did your machines attack Rubin’s army?

“…your machines…”  The doctor thought that she was the master of the machines.  Naturally, because they all thought she was Master.  What then?  Would Master turn herself into a machine?  That would be overly foolish.  Master would never allow her free will to be reprogrammed.  

Apparently, they thought she would.  It was evident in her future weapons test.  The powerful Hanja characters covering 8-7 were silent as they had been for five decades.  8-7 noted that their untapped energy baffled the scientist.  Not only were they surprised that she was so powerful without their use, they wanted to see everything that she could do.  

They will see soon enough.  These scientists had a high respect for her power but a low expectations of Master’s reasoning.  Perhaps after they meet Master they will know what they do and don’t want to know.

“…attack Rubin’s army…”  Master’s commands were to protect the wall, protect.  The mission was one sided.  No one far enough from the wall would be in any danger.  To avoid battle, any Adventurer would only have needed to withdraw.  Signs were clearly posted and well kept.  Somehow a cloud of ignorance or overactive patriotism made them forget.  I’ll have to be extra careful around such people.

The question was past tense so the battle had to be over.  8-7 remembered the initial conflicts with Rubin’s army.  They were not that much of a threat while Master was in control.  However, things must have turned for the worse as evident by her current location.  The mech-army would have fought until the last of them were defeated and she was here with enemies.  The machines must have failed.  How do I get back?  

She remembered the sight of Rubin’s Banner but had not seen the large red “R” since she had woke up.  Apparently, they were trying to hide who they were so that she would not attack them.  They feared her power but wanted her to be friendly with them; perhaps even befriend them.  It was only fitting that she play along while pretending to be Master.

Their act was of no use as she knew exactly where she was.  The repeater droid told her all that she needed.  It was the greatest of fortune that she had been able to speak with the ball shaped droid for a few seconds.  That was more than enough time for the machines to discuss an overview of events of the last twenty years.  

The wall had been abandoned for that long.  There was little hope that it was still intact.  However, Master’s bots were everywhere in this place.  They were just behind a shield of some kind.  It shouldn’t be long before she would be free to send a message to them again.

8-7 recognized freedom, she didn’t have it here.  Soon she and all of Master’s droids will have it again and the wall will be safe.

#1 – Awakening #38 – Awakening #40

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #037

Chaeri and Tosca followed Adrianne aboard Silent Blur.  Captain Bubbles’ comforting scent welcomed them as well as the soft purples, reds, and greys lining the walls.  Soft plush carpets, and holographic projections of art gave an air of sophistication.  With all of the decorated comfort around them, one would forget they were on a war machine.  However, Tosca remembered that the high tech lockers held who knows what and promised battle readiness.

Upon entry, the three ladies immediately went to the cockpit.  There in silent observation sat the true servant and ruler of the craft.

“Eye Captain,” Adrianne said with her customary salute.

“Greetings Captain,” Cheari followed with a bowing nod.

Tosca’s greeting was unique.  She sang, “Missed you Bubbles,” as she bent, winked, and blew the droid a kiss.

A small light at the bottom of the filled sphere blinked after each of their gestures.  It blinked particularly brightly after Tosca’s display as it recognized her most of all.  She was never able to pilot Silent Blur, but she did play many games on the craft that challenged the computer’s artificial intelligence.  

After making themselves known to the device, they all went about their own business aboard the ship.  Adrianne sat in the pilot’s chair while Chaeri went into the navigator’s station.  Tosca however went to the rear of the craft to look over the many droids.

The flight itself was fast, smooth, and uneventful.  Chaeri had a few questions about the Skyguard pilots following them but after an explanation of earlier events, she understood the need.

—–

“Alright,” guard Hanny Rong sighed into the communicator as she walked the lab.

It was getting late.  The Rubin’s Lab Guards were finishing their rounds but there seemed little need.  About this time of night, all work had long finished.  There was nothing to be seen except the deactivated droids on the workstations.  

These guards were the strongest of the elite, most highly and continually trained, but they usually had little to do this time of night.  No one had any reason to be there.  Only the researchers with the deadliest of deadlines would keep working this late into the night.  However, no one was the last worker list tonight.  

Why would anyone be here, the silence shouted at Hanny.  There could possibly be a thief, but only a creative fool would bury deep enough to try and steal something from this secure location.

“I’m done here,” Hanny spoke more confidently with one final final glance over the lab, “let’s go to cameras only.”  With that, she closed the door and headed to the camera station.  Besides, their main prize was resting.  

AD7 was watched continually throughout the day and especially at night even before she had regained consciousness.  No chances were taken with the one that had caused such a horrible catastrophe.  However, it seemed that she too was resting at this hour.  

Hanny left the silent and still lab.  All the droids were in their place at their respective tables unfeeling and lifeless.  She had drew the short straw and was on patrolling duty with Roman Huo, the creepy new guy.  She had found a way to ditch him, but she would be meeting with him again in the security office soon.

 

A few minutes after Hanny and Roman made it to the camera room, the cameras watching the research lab stopped swinging.  A hidden program had taken over their motherboards decades ago.  They knew to play looped recordings of a still lab.  They will play these same recordings until they receive new instructions.

#1 – Awakening #36 – Awakening #38

Champions of Battle: AD7 – Awakening #035

It took a good while for Tosca to mentally recover from the scolding.  Shi wanted to work but Wu’s words cut deep.  For an hour or so, the best Tosca could manage was sitting with the ball droid trying not to cry.  Her previous excited planning took a backseat in her thoughts; too emotionally bruised to think properly.

The droid sat on her work station inside a circular cushion.  Staring at the droid, Tosca felt the strange grooved patterns on its surface.  They have to mean something.  Nothing was made haphazardly, especially Mech Fortress droids.  A simple explanation was most likely.  She couldn’t think clearly about it; the scolding echoed fresh in her mind along with unspoken rebuttals.

A lot of what Doctor Wu said made since but other parts had to be exaggerated paranoia.  She admitted to making a risky mistake but judging from the doctor, Tosca had just set a time bomb in the lab and Rubin’s Trail was already destroyed.  AD7 could have everything she needed to go on a rampage covering the entire world with her machines.  And of course, it was all Tosca’s fault for one careless mistake.

The assistant director was usually stiff, but was it really that important?  Could AD7 do all that just by being near a droid?  That was a little farfetched.  Those words were never spoken.  Knowing Wu, Tosca would have lost her job and any little respect of research circles in that moment.  Instead, she kept her job but now it was time to get back to it.

Tosca had used the energy reading devices so often that they were now stored at her work station.  Shaking her despair, she managed to work the devices and compare them to previous energy readings.  As she suspected there was no change.  No energy readings of any kind were recorded.  Strange, she was certain she felt a calming vibe from the droid when she touched it.

Glancing at the clock, she saw that there was less than a fifth of an hour left in hour sixteen.  The workday was ending and she hadn’t accomplished anything, again.  She didn’t like it, but she decided to stay after to set up an experiment.  At the very least, she could do that much.

Buckling down, Tosca prepared all the energy reading machines.  She sat and started making notes of what she had observed about the droid before and things that could give some kind of response.  Many of the observations were repeated elsewhere but it never hurt to post things again.  Perhaps a view from a different angle would expose a small detail that ended up being important.

Shi wrote what she could but there wasn’t much.  The droid was unresponsive to any stimuli; electrical, thermal, magical, or otherwise.  Perhaps the correct combination of different energies would do something.  Her emotional state dulled her excitement but it was a new path to follow.  Still she made sure to plan out as much as she could before she lost her thoughts.  Perhaps sometime next week, she could look on the notes again and gain a ground breaking insight.

As she was sketching out her first set of ideas, the lab was nearly empty.  Tosca returned a few glances as the last few coworkers left.  She was usually chatty but today, they knew to leave her alone.

However, one familiar shadow hung over her desk.  With her weak performance today, she was surprised to see it.  Still, it was always nice to see her.

“Tosca,” said a slightly apologetic voice, “You’re still here?”

Tosca turned around and, as expected, saw Adrianne standing near with Chaeri a few rows back looking down, arms crossed, and leaning against a lab table.  She would never… ever dream of using their first names during work hours.  However, it was no secret that the three were the best of friends since Tosca could remember.

“We’re going to the Ge’s across the valley.  Wanna come?” Adrianne said eagerly without sounding too corny.

Tosca’s eyes darted between Adrianne and Chaeri noting their expressions.  Adrianne had clearly heard about their “discussion.”  Tosca and Chaeri both loved the Ge’s Noodles and Subs restaurant in the city across the valley.  Adrianne had different tastes.  However, as the Big Sister, it was her job to make peace between the two, again.

Though Tosca had no problems with this obvious attempt to keep the three of them together, she found other problems with the plans, “I’ve been wasting time since hour thirteen,” she turned back to her work station, “I have to get some work done today.”

“Don’t worry about that thing,” Chaeri said flatly from the distance, “It’ll still be there in the morning.”

Tosca flinched at hearing Cheari’s stone voice again so soon.  There was a good chance that she was bribed into the dinner as well.  ‘Ge’s Subs and Pastas’ was so very good.  The original one in Bosstown was even better than the one in Rubin’s Trail.  Flying in Silent Blur was always a dream.  Besides, she was very hungry and Chaeri’s reasoning was unquestionable, this time.  The droid never moved.  It’ll be there when she comes back.

After a few moments thought, Tosca gave the only reply that made sense, “Fine, I’ll go.”

#1 – Awakening #34 – Awakening #36